deceit
/dɪˈsiːt/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.24 in modern English
9
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
The tort or fraudulent representation of a material fact made with knowledge of its falsity, or recklessly, or without reasonable grounds for believing its truth and with intent to induce reliance on it; the plaintiff justifiably relies on the deception, to his injury.
Countable; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "The whole conversation was merely a deceit."
- "Upon his return he killed Eriphyle for her vanity and deceit of him and his father."
- "[T]he tvvo commended rules by him [Aristotle] ſet down, vvhereby the axioms of Sciences are precepted to be made convertible, and vvhich the latter men have not vvithout elegancy ſurnamed; the one the rule of truth, becauſe it preventeth deceipt; the other the rule of prudence, becauſe it freeth election, are the ſame thing in ſpeculation and affirmation, vvhich vve novv obſerve."
- "His mouth is full of curſing, and deceit, and fraud : vnder his tongue is miſchiefe and vanitie."
- "Deceits of lapwings were preparing to migrate"
- "These birds belonged to a deceit of lapwings that had been displaced from their tract of grasslands and marshy grounds by a housing development."
Etymology
From Middle English deceyte, from Old French deceite, deçoite, from decevoir (“to deceive”), from Latin dēcipere (“to cheat, mislead”).